A SEA-CHANGE ON THE MID ATLANTIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL?
Attended my first Mid Atlantic Fishery Management council meeting this week.  Not as a member yet, but as an observer.  Given the council’s historic proclivity to manage some species under their care right on the margins, which has resulted in overfishing in just about every year they have done so, and given their penchant for disregarding of the advice of NOAA scientists, and given the fact that they have made some very risky and sometimes downright irresponsible decisions, I was prepared to witness more of the same.

If you’ve been reading this column or any of my conservation pieces on summer flounder during the last 3 years, you know the deal.  Every year, despite prior years of overfishing, the council would pick the riskiest option and each year anglers would overfish.  The result being that there was very little chance we were going to make the rebuilding goal by the required time period.  A complete shutdown of the fishery was indeed a possibility, because managers never did make those difficult decisions that they should have.

Of course it’s quite a bit more complicated than this, and if you are really interested, you can get some background here .   And yes, there has been some new data since I wrote that article, but you already knew that if you’re a regular visitor to this site.  The bottom line is that the rebuilding goal looks very obtainable at this point due to a lowering of the rebuilding goal based on the newest and best available science.   The fact that the spawning stock biomass is going up while recruitment remains level is causing some folks to believe the stock is already maxed out, but based on the data, NOAA scientists still do believe that it can and will be rebuilt if we just practice management discipline.  I tend to agree.

But back to the point here.  There were two options on the table for the Council and the ASMFC to vote on.  One was the riskier option (a 19-million pound recreational quota which had a 50% chance of meeting the target by 2013) and one was the more conservation option (17-million pounds which had a 75% chance of meeting the target for 2013).  After some discussion, it looked to me like more conservative motion might actually carry.  Surprisingly, the talk around the table was “precaution”.  Given the Council’s history on the subject, I did not expect this.  Indeed it was encouraging.

Once the public was given the opportunity to speak, there was the usual rhetoric from those representing the party boat industry claiming the data was bad and that folks should be able to kill more fluke.  Unsurprisingly they supported the riskier option, and I don’t necessarily hold it against them for doing so.  After-all, this is how these folks pay the bills, and it needs to be noted here that the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC) supported this option as well, as unlike prior options the council had been given on summer flounder during prior meetings, this one had incorporated management uncertainty as well as a number of other factors.  In other words, it already had some precautionary measures in it.

The long and short of it was that Jim Gilmore, Head of Marine Resources at the NY DEC put up an amended motion to split the difference claiming that 18-million pounds would incorporate the required precaution on top of the inherent precaution already in the 19-million pound option.  It passed overwhelmingly!

Indeed, it appears that the council is coming around.  Really, they will have to as the Magnuson Stevenson Reauthorization very specifically requires precaution.  The whole situation was inspiring really.  Indeed I wasn’t too psyched about what happened the prior day with butterfish, but that’s another story which deals with a data-poor stock and there’s just not enough room here to get into it.

The bottom line is the Council is not near as intimidating as I expected it would me.  They may not actually hate me as much as I thought.  I even got a nice note from one of the NOAA employees saying that they read my articles and some even follow my blog.  A good indication that I’ll have some support.

Fishing Reports
From Jersey to the New York Bite, it’s been summer doldrums.  It was even a poor week offshore as bluefin that were there a week ago split town.  No reports of bonito yet and no reports of skipjack either.  Best I’ve been hearing is bluefish.  And they aren’t even the big ones.  A bit farther east from Fire Island Inlet and out, the water is much bluer much closer in.  Anglers running 8 to 12 miles out are encountering mahi under flotsam and lobster pots.  Again though, no reports of bonito or skippies, which is somewhat discouraging.  Granted, these things are unreliable and we’ve got to consider it a blessing if they do show, the conditions for their arrival are perfect.  They should be here by now!  Out east, the reports of bass fishing are pretty good.  This is due mostly to a large school of bunker that have been hanging around out there.  Find them and you’ll also likely find some really big bass on them.   In Connecticut you can still find bass in their usual eastern haunts, but generally they’ve been deep.  Western Connecticut has mostly bluefish, and small ones at that.  Even Rhode Island is experiencing the doldrums.  But the good news is the bonito have shown there and they are getting thicker and thicker each day.  Better get on them before the make it down my way.  Massachusetts is still producing some bass although not in the numbers it was a week or so ago.  The bluefin bite is inconsistent, but catching bluefin is indeed a possibility during each trip off the Cape.  Main seems to be the only place with a better than average bass bite right now.  Good news for Mainers indeed as they had a terrible spring.

New Jersey Saltwater Fishing Reports
Checking in from Jersey this time is Capt. David Azar from One More Cast Charters.  Check it out:
Friday August 1, Went out on Dr. Ron Mizrahi’s 28 Grady from Shark River Inlet to search the middle grounds for tuna, which have been reported sporadically in the area.  The water from about 10 miles off the south Jersey coast is a beautiful cobalt blue, with temps in the mid to high 70’s.  Working our way along the 20 fathom line we did not have any tuna sightings but we did get to take advantage of the numerous mahi-mahi that have invaded the area.  Found our first one, a 3 pounder, while trolling around some lobster pots in about 100 feet of water.  After that we began chumming the lobster pots and found abundant small specimens, and caught several on bait and jigs.  After catching a bunch of these “chicken” mahi we lucked upon a nicer specimen hanging right under a lobster pot float and Dr. Ron hooked this 14#’r on light tackle!  The fish jumped about 8 times, giving me ample opportunity to catch it with the camera!  There have also been reports of bonito caught in our local area.  It’s pelagic time again.

New York Saltwater Fishing Reports
Capt. Ken Rafferty checks in with an extended report from out East:
JULY 25th…Full-day…Michael Salzhauer, Ron Solars and Todd Bassen…Fly-fishing and Light Spin Tackle from Michael’s boat. With beautiful weather we headed over to Little Gull where we caught the last two hours of the out-going tide. Michael was at the stern of the boat with a fly rod while Ron and Todd were sharing the bow. Bluefish and Stripers were the target for today’s charter. At the northeast corner of Little Gull I set the boat up for a drift and as soon as I turned off the engine, Todd hooked up with a nice Striper and on the next cast Ron also hooked up. As they fought their fish Michael laid a nice long cast in amongst the rocks and he too hooked up. I now had three lines running around the boat trying not to get them tangled. Ron’s fish was lifted first, it weighed 12 lbs. I put a net around Todd’s Striper, lifted and it weighed in at 14 + lbs. finally Michael’s Striper was in the boat….it weighed 9.5 lbs.
The next drift produced three more Stripers, Michaels fish landed first, 8 lbs. then Todd’s fish, 17 + lbs. and Ron’s in at 24 lbs. They all landed a few more smaller Stripers in the 8 to 10 lb. class and with about 30 minutes of tide left Ron had a great hit………..this fish took out a lot of line. I thought it might spool him as I started the engine’s. The big fish turned back toward us and I cut turned the engine’s off. Todd and Michael had continued casting and Todd also hooked up with a large fish. As I was lifting Ron’s Striper into the boat I heard Michael say he was on! Ron’s Striper weighed in at 32+ lbs…..nice fish! Todd’s Stripers was next into the boat and it weighed in at 38+ lbs. Finally I had Michael’s Striper lifted in and it weighed 29 lbs.
All three anglers kept casting, trying different lures and flies but the fish were gone from here. I headed to another spot where I seem to always find big Bluefish finning on the surface and sure enough here they were.
Everyone hooked up on their first cast with Blues that weighed 10 lbs. and above. Lot’s of lures and flies were lost but lots of Blues were landed. I Think Todd was high hook for the day with 18 big Bluefish the largest being 14 + lbs.
JULY 26th …Morning…Arik and Gabby…Spin Tackle.
Big Bluefish, Big Bluefish another Big Bluefish and another and so on and so on.
JULY 26th…Afternoon…Todd Richter and hos father Harry…Fly and Spin.
Once again I headed out to my favorite Bluefish spot and after about 10 minutes Todd was hooked up then Harry. It wasn’t like the morning but they landed nice big Blues. At one point Todd hooked up and landed a 28 inch Striper. We ended the afternoon outside of Napeague Harbor landing small Blues on the fly.
JULY 27th…Heavy Rain…no fishing.
JULY 28th…Morning…Brian Culp, Beth and Jenny…Fly and Spin Tackle.
I headed out and found a large fog bank had droped on us leaving only about 500 feet visibilty in any direction.
We did have a lot of strikes but no hook-up so I headed to another spot where everyone landed a bunch of smaller Blues.
JULY 29th…Morning…Richard Watson…Fly-fishing.
This was Richard’s first time saltwater fly-fishing. Till now the largest fish he caught was 11 inches….so I couldn’t wait for him to hook-up.
I headed out to a rocky spot I know and set him up with a sink line and a pink and white flie. By the sixth cast I had Richard shooting out 50 feet and four cast later he was hooked-up and landed a nice 7 lb. Striped Bass. A few cast later he landed another at 6 lbs. this was a happy fisherman. Richard landed his third striper shortly after, this one also weighing 7 lbs. His next hook-up cut the leader and was gone…..Bluefish. I put on another flie and we also lost it so I decided if we were going to hook-up with Bluefish, I might as well take him to my favorite spot and so off we went.
When we got there the water was like glass and we can see finning taking place all around us. I gave Richard a rod with float line and a small crease flie and some instruction on retriveing. His second cast produced one of the greatest takes I have ever seen on the surface. This fish came up from about 15 feet of water, took the flie and cleared the water by three feet before landing on it’ back creating a splash that looked like a Volkswagon Bug was dropped from the sky. Richard couldn’t believe how strong this fish was….he thought that 7 lb. Striper whipped him but he said “that was like catching a potatoe” compared to this freight train he had on. He bruised his knuckles, bloodied one, burnt his palm but kept smiling………lol. We boated a whopping 12 lb. Bluefish, his first so I gave him the flie.
Richard landed three more big Bluefish that weighed in at 10, 10 and 12 lbs. Now he’s hooked for life….lol.
JULY 30th…Morning…Brad Dixon…Spin Tackle.
Brad was up from Georgia visiting family and said he wanted to give these Bluefish a try….and he did.
Brad had never seen large finning fish before, he was mesmerized for a second and then cast right in the middle of a school of about six fish. At first they were startled but soon turned back and went after the surface popping lure…………Slam! hook-up. Line played out as the reel sang zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
This Bluefish jumped seven times, two of those times he tail walked like a Tarpon as Brad lifted, then reeled down. This fish weighed in at 10+ lbs.
He landed almost twenty of these giant ocean going Bluefish, the largest weighed in at nearly 15 lbs. with teeth like a house cat……..lol.
Brad stated he didn’t know how he was going to go home to 5 lb. Large Mouth Bass.
JULY 30th…Late-day…Paul Scharfer and his son Jake.
We headed out for some Stripers but found no one home so it was Bluefish, Bluefish, Bluefish everywhere.
JULY 31st…Morning…Ted Lindy and his friend Bob…Light Spin Tackle. We headed out in hopes of catching some Stripers but could only manage one 6 lb. that Bob landed. Both anglers stated that they really didn’t like Bluefish but would fish them if nothing else was biting. Nether angler had ever hooked up with Blues like these. By time we were back at the dock they booked another date for more of this action in late August.
AUG 1st…Morning…Ed Shipiro, Mitch and his son Josh…Light Spin Tackle.
Once again we were into those rod breaking, reel burning, line snapping, lure loosing Bluefish that we all love to hate….lol.
We lost track of how many were landed but every one said they were sore from bringing them in. I consider that a complament.
AUG 1st…Afternoon…Arik, Gabby, Robbie and Rich..Light Spin Tackle..guess what they wanted…lol.
It only takes me forty minutes to bring in the morning charter and get back out there with the afternoon charter but in that forty minutes thing change. The weather stayed the same, calm but my those Blues had left for about an hour…I guess they went to lunch.
The last three hours we had one fish after another and they were all in the 10 lb. class.
AUG 2nd…Early Morning…John Mannix and his business partner Jeff…Light Spin Tackle.
Both John and Jeff fish all over the country and they both stated that these large Blues were second to none when it came to fighting. Both anglers landed over 10 large Blues each.
AUG 3rd…Afternoon…Jerry Silver…Fly-Fishing.
It was a little windy and it made casting to these fish tough so Jerry picked up the Spin Tackle and started landing giant after giant Bluefish…most of them near 15 lbs.
AUG 5th…Morning…Alex Edlich…Light Spin Tackle.
We headed out and tried for some Stripers but I think the water is a little to warm here and I would have to get into some 25 or so foot depth to find them so once again I headed for those great big Bluefish. We had one fish chase after another and then a hook-up. Alex said he boated 10.
AUG 5th…Afternoon…Jeffery Cash and his uncle Gary…Light Spin Tackle.
Jeffery knew exactly what he wanted “Big Bluefish”
Heres how they made out after three hours of fishing:
Jeffery…15 Blues hooked up, he landed eight of them and had over 25 follows. At one point he hooked up with a Blue that had to be 18 to 20 lbs. it almost spooled him but got off.
Gary…Hooked up with 10, landed 5 and had 15 follows.

Capt. Robin Calitri checks in this week from the North Shore of Long Island:
Night Bite on the North Shore.  Although we are finding fish in the daylight the Bass are much more active and larger at dusk, night or first light.  Just ask Brendan Cuccinello who has been finding keeper sized bass on swim baits in the Port Jeff area.  One of his secrets is to think like a snook light fisherman around the docks. Mitch Bernstein, Peter Chinsky and I had a fine day on Csicagain with blues and bass around Keyspan, Huntington and Northport on clusers, swim baits and tins.  We chased some intel from Captain Jack Roth and Captain Dan Stahl who saw some Bonito off Eatons while running their fun for kids, fishing camp.  I found none, but rumor has it that Captain Vinny Catelano slaughtered the Bonito near Cranes Neck.

Rhode Island Saltwater Fishing Reports
Capt. Greg Snow from Snow Fly Charters checks in with a Block Island update:
Aug 8, 2008 Report
Bones on Block Island are a welcome sight after a chilly easterly that sent the big bass packing.  Don’t get me wrong, there are still stripes here but they are a different group of fish that happen to be significantly smaller.  The past month and a half has been the best  bass fishing I’ve seen on BI in ten years.  The only sour note is all the big stripers I saw being killed purely as ego boosters.  The Bonito are racing through the rips and tide lines chewing on squid and sand eels.  They are showing very little so you have to put your time in and I’m sure you’ll be rewarded.  Albies are next and if it is even a fraction of last seasons run it’s gonna be screamer!         Tight Lines…Capt Greg Snow.

Also checking in from Block is Capt. Ray Stachelek, Cast a Fly Charters:
Busmen’s Holiday: There may be a small silver lining in the troubled economy after all for some of us charter captains. Bookings have been slower than usual. It’s understandable. Many are looking for work or had their hours cut. Everyone is affected with higher fuel cost, utilities, and food.   There are plenty of holes in my schedule now to wet a line. This has never happen before, especially during the regular fishing season. When you see good conditions to fly fish on the ocean, you take it while it’s still summer. The weather has been perfect lately. Besides, you always need the Intel anyway. The ride out to Block Island was fast and smooth as the sun rose over the North Rip. Passing the B1 buoy the current was racing toward a westerly direction. New moon tide today had plenty of water movement, perfect time to fish the south side.  Mike Testa was my guest today. He’s an extremely eager and energetic individual who cherishes any time he gets on the water.  Mike has been with us a number of times fishing with family and friends. He loves the total experience of fishing and being outdoors.  Fishing during the hot humid, months has many more limitations. The windows of success are much smaller. Bright sunshine, warmer waters will move fish to deeper depths. Today was no different. One does not expect the bite to last for any long duration. Strike while the iron is hot! The trick is to find what works in a very limited amount of time that you have. The earlier you find this out, the better your fishing will be obviously.  Here is some information that may help: The waters around Block Island are unbelievably clear compared to the upper bay. Visibility may be up to 25 feet. Before I leave my house I make sure I have clear stealthy fly lines on board. The prep starts there. Make sure you have some type of poppers and crease flies too. There will be more on that later.  Fishing with sink lines is beneficial in the morning with low light conditions. As the sun rises higher in the sky, you’ll notice a change in attitude with the stripers. That’s because these wary flats minded stripers become line shy. The suns angle is now penetrating perpendicular to the ocean floor. Dark fly lines contrast with the environment.  Now is the time to switch to a clear line. You’ll notice that the stripers are still holding close to the bottom. Strip after strip produces no results. Your fly simply will not get down into the strike zone. What gives? There’s not much you can do in this situation other than to put on a heavier fly. Anything else will give your tackle away. The rub! Clear fly lines are only manufactured in the intermediate/ floating ranges.  That’s when you tie on some type of popper. Most of these stripers are enjoying the benefit of the passing current. There hasn’t been much bait supply lately in waters around the 14 feet mark we have been fishing. They will rise to the surface presentation (as unbelievable as that sounds) due to water clarity and noiseless condition. I was amazed too that a fly higher in the water column like a streamer did not produce. The noise is important with poppers to get their attention. Make it look like a struggling baitfish caught in the current.  You’ll be surprised too!  Rap it up! The striper bite is best in early morning naturally. Bluefish will gradually replace the bass. These fish including bluefish are line shy too.  I kid you not! Try alternate fishing methods besides fly fishing. Stealth conditions and casting long distances away from the boat becomes important in the brilliant sunshine. Make plenty of surface noise later on in the mornings. Summertime is not fast easy fishing. It’s angling! There is still enough action to satisfy your appetite during the slower months of summer to get you bye.

Massachusetts Saltwater Fishing Reports
Capt. Dave Rimmer checks in with this report from Newburyport.  Check it out:
Bluefish arrived in force about Aug 1 in the mouth of the Merrimack River and along the outer beaches of Plum Island and Salisbury, and since then these 4-8 chompers have dominated our fishing scene. They are primarily feeding on adult sand eels, and some of the surface action is spectacular. They are very catchable on fly, jig, swimming lure or top water plug. Stripers are also holding well throughout the river too. A buddy caught a nice 40+ inch bass on a jig and pods of fish are still rolling around on Joppa Flats. Night time seems to be producing best, especially for the bait guys, but light tackle and fly fisherman are still pecking away and landing good sized fish. The weather has been unstable and not often both sunny and calm, so the sight fishing has not been available. Tuna reports are flowing in and some BFTs were seen 3-4 miles east of Gloucester in the past few days.

From Martha’s Vineyard, Capt. Tom Rapone from Highly Migratory Guides checks in with this report:
We’re still working through the transition period between bass and hardtails, but the bonito fishing has been getting more consistent with every passing tide. In the past week we’ve had mornings with up to a dozen bones on fly and light tackle. Most of the action thus far has been in the offshore rips south of the island, but some consistent inshore fishing for breaking bonito can only be days away. Still a ton of bluefish in the mix, too. Find some moving water and sandeels and you can pretty much hang bluefish up to 10-lbs. until you’re too sore to go on.

Last, but not least, Salty Flyrodder Joel Filner checks in with a report from the Cape:
A two week visit to Cape Cod brings back to me the early days of my saltwater adventures. How tough it is to begin anew in a different water, with tides, weather, terrain, structure, bait, seals, and access all to be part of the experience. We go once a year with college friends and this year was to be a longer stay in order to see a little more of the area and try to learn some new tricks. Most years I found that fishing at night or early morning was the trick. The tides are very important on Cape Cod Bay as the height and rapidity of the flow makes for tricky wading. I was singularly unsuccessful wade fishing on the 4 attempts, with not a nibble, and the only day I actually saw fish in the water was the last day at noon just after the top of the tide and the blue fish were cruising the bait, small minnows, as the tide turned. Just barely within casting distance and they chose to ignore my fly. A spin fisherman waded out further and managed one fish at the end of his range, but lost him as the fish cut the line. We did go out on a big boat on the bay, the Triton, out of Rock Harbor, once with my kids and once with my friends. The first trip all were successful, with 8 keepers, one 39 inch bass, and multiple blue fish for the half day. The second trip was much tougher, lots of blues, and only two bass, one keeper of 32 inches and one 26 inch fish. The captain commented that the second trip was more typical of the week, unlike the first week trip as the fish were not as active and further out than normal. All in all, a pleasant family/friend activity. My treat was to go out with Joe LeClair out of West Falmouth for a terrific day on the water. We fished his local waters off the Vineyard and the bays and islands off Falmouth. It rained for a part of the morning but that did not deter the fish or the fisherman. New waters with a new guide and new fish made for a learning experience as well as a rewarding day to work with another pro on the water. For the first time I watched large schools of Bass feeding on or near the surface on Kril, over a long stretch of water along the shoals. They just could not be bothered with the fly whether in front of them or into the pods of fish. I lined them and down they went, soon to surface again, and to guess their direction is a trick only Joe could master, even then no real fish moving to the fly. We did hook up with smaller bass, some additional blues, and one Giant bass, who ran into the backing twice, moved the line, and broke off on the rocks below the surface. We both cried. Again learning the water is key as off Montauk or in the Peconic, or Gardiners bay, the bottom is not rocky or with any real structure so the big fish move to the deeper waters.
This fish headed for the rocks below, only about 15 feet, and my usual action would be to let him run, but Joe cautioned me to keep him up if possible, and of course my drag was not set as tight as it should be and the bass won. We also fished the tidal water where the flow of the tide over rocks makes for a great feeding ground for the bass in large numbers. Boating skill is required, but the bass were there. We increased the size of the fly to get the bigger fish and it worked well as the size increased with the fly. Again a learning experience. The day was worth the effort and the guide was worth the trip.
Gonna go back next year and if possible maybe a trip to the Cape in the Spring if I can tear myself away from our great fishery.

Wow!  On that note, I’m gonna sign off.  See ya on the water…

Capt. John McMurray

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